Spectroscopy of Biological Systems

This is the first volume of this well-established series, formerly entitled "Advances in Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy", to be devoted to a single theme. The major objectives of the series remain unchanged, ie to integrate theory and practice and to bring together different branches of research in both the academic and industrial spheres through the presentation of critical review articles in fundamental and applied spectroscopy. But its scope has simultaneously been widened beyond the confines of infrared and Raman spectroscopy and focused down more sharply to a well-defined subject area of great current interest. Biological systems represent such an area for applied spectroscopy. The policy of the editors is to commission authoritative reviews by acknowledged leaders in the various fields of spectroscopy under review. Thus each volume presents a carefully composed picture of the "state of the art" for a particular area. The complementary nature of the articles in each volume establishes a synergic effect which enhances the value of every chapter.